What to check before an art transaction
Provenance, title, written terms, invoices and movement records are the materials most worth checking and retaining around a transaction.
Check the work and competing claims
Review provenance and authenticity materials where possible, and consider theft, looting, illegal export, forgery or competing legal claims. A gap calls for further checking rather than assumption.
Put title, consignment and sale terms in writing
Seek written confirmation of clear title where possible. Put consignment and sale terms in writing and sell only on authorised terms. An invoice should identify the work, artist, dimensions, medium, price and buyer.
Records should travel with the work
Provenance, party identities, contracts, invoices, payment, transport and customs records may matter in resale, insurance, cross-border movement or a dispute. Retention preserves facts that may be hard to reconstruct later.
This practical reference is not legal advice and does not replace jurisdiction-specific review. Its value is to preserve facts that can be checked in advance.